Warrior of the Wolf
by Caranomaru Kinoshita
Summary: Story about Caranomaru Kinoshita, expert ninja at 15 years learns about life in the Leaf Village.
1. Fall of the Toyotomi

_**Prologue**_

**The year 1582, Nobunaga Oda, great Japanese warlord vanishes from the view of history in a sea of flames at the temple Honnoji in Kyoto. Two Retainers, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Mitsuhide Akechi, fight it out at Mount Tenno. After that battle Hideyoshi became victorious and started ruling Japan under his former lord.**

**Word came out that the Tokugawa Clan, led by Ieyasu Tokugawa, wanted to rule and started gaining land by joining forces with Hideyoshi. Their first enemy, the Hôjô Clan, fell swiftly. The following year, the Tokugawa declares war upon the Toyotomi and the final battle was agreed to be set in the battlefield whereas all battles took place, Sekigahara. The Toyotomi was the Western, Tokugawa was the Eastern, and a great battle was fought whereas the Toyotomi was victorious mainly in part to their newest youth in the army, general at 15 years. He had taken over the enemy main camp and killed over 800 troops with only 200 at his disposal.**

**This is his story…**

_**Chapter 1: The Fall of the Toyotomi**_

**It was cold out, the kind of cold you would only expect from Edo. But not only a cold temperature, I believed it would be hard to resist enemy attacks due to the scent of bloodshed. But it was so quiet. How could it be? Tokugawa was defeated and his most powerful general left his army to join our side. This wasn't a part of the post-war council.**

"**Okay Caranomaru, you're free to go and live a life of your own now." Our clan's leader, Hideyoshi said. "Now that everything is secure in Japan we can rest easy. Guards! Be ready with Kinoshita's horse!" The gate opened and Red Hare started galloping up the tower I was stationed on. "Well here comes your pain in the ass."**

"**Yes she is sir. C'mon girl!" I called to her. Red slightly pushed Lord Toyotomi aside and buried her nose into my shoulder as I laughed. Seeing Hideyoshi on the floor like that really made a great going-away gift.**

"**I'm glad she's yours Cara, she'd shove me a good 50 meters!" said Hideyoshi getting back up. We both laughed and Red whinnied. We raced down leaving Hideyoshi in the dynastic-looking building. I cheated to beat Red to the ground by jumping off and landing on a roof of one of the barns, but bouncing like a trampoline off of it. She gave me a look as if to say 'that's cheating!' so I responded saying there was no rules and hopped up on her back.**

**We were off, wind blowing through our hair. We saw many beautiful sights, a cocoon hatching, giant mountains and the many towns. After about 6 months we returned to the same ruling castle in Nagashino. We cruised around and many people recognized me. Few recognized Red. We stopped at a restaurant and got some ramen. Here were some fools, drunk by their looks, who drew swords, ready to fight. As one swung near me I caught the blade with one hand and asked him to take this outside as I was trying to eat. Blood in noodles suck, even so with the rice buns Red was eating. She poked her head through the window with the food on the counter.**

"**And what are you gunna do 'bout it pipsqueak?" he said laughing. He was drunk. But the other guy seemed pretty tipsy.**

"**You know this guy?" I asked**

**The tipsy looking guy responded "Unfortunately yes young one. He was my friend but the drink made him draw so I drew in defense" I turned to the drunken one.**

"**Take it outside you drunkard!" I yelled at him.**

"**No way kid!" he responded**

**I pulled his sword, nearing him to me to speak at eye-level and with an evil look I said, "I wasn't asking that time." I kicked his gut so hard he coughed up blood on the street, where he flew. I sat back down and casually finished my noodles while Red finished. We both left the money on the table and headed to revisit our old friend, Toyotomi. After a couple minutes of walking we noticed smoke rising in the distance. Red panicked. I jumped on her back and yelled "GO! HYA!" She ran faster than ever and we soon discovered it was the building. Some soldiers came over to me.**

"**Move it kid or you will be killed like that pitiful excuse for a ruler."**

**Hideyoshi! I knocked him aside and ran in with my bamboo staff in hope of saving him. Red ran as to not be captured by the troops. I blew down the door with my bare hands. Shattered windows, war drums, and burning wood were all around me. I climbed up rubble to get to the top. After a few floors the trail stopped but a staircase nearby was usable so I ran for it as fast as I could but was stopped ninja, Kotaro Fuma, once allied with the Hôjô Clan. **

"**Out of my way Kotaro, or do I have to slay you AGAIN!?" I told him.**

"**Ooooh. I am so scared of the child's angry voice. You are the one who should go. Hideyoshi will be slain soon and a better government will be lead by the Ishida Clan." He said.**

"**Fool! This kid will kick your ass for such language!"**

"**Maybe later kid." He vanished as I stabbed my staff through his afterimage.**

"**Damn it! Oh well I have to keep moving!"**

**Climbing up the stairs I heard a duel going on upstairs. So close! I ran but I believe the fumes got to me. I saw Nobunaga. I swallowed an air capsule to maybe clear my lungs to stop the hallucinations. It wasn't a hallucination. It was his ghost. He drew his blade and I stepped back. "Lord N-Nobunaga?! I-Is that you?" I was struggling with my words. He slashed at me and I dodged but was slightly cut along my left cheek. How could a ghost do that? The blade hit me but how? I ran up and swung my staff. He disappeared in the form of smoke, much like a candle's.**

"**What do you desire?" I heard his voice say. Those words rang through my head. I had to ignore them. His words rang on and on while I focused on the task-at-hand. The clanging got faster and louder. I got up the stairs hacking and coughing. The air capsule must have worn off. Mitsunari Ishida, former Toyotomi retainer was fighting against Lord Hideyoshi! I ran at them and blocked their weapons.**

"**Mitsunari! Why are you trying to stop peace's path!? Lord Hideyoshi, flee now! I will hold him off. You need to li-UGH!" I told them but was swept aside by Mitsunari's Bladed Fan.**

"**Fool kid! The Toyotomi will fall and I'll become victorious! He is weak and made our government crippled and blind! I will allow Japan to see the almighty light!" Mitsunari exclaimed and kicked Hideyoshi away, charged in stabbed him in the stomach, then kicked him onto the center section made of an inflammable metal.**

"**Hideyoshi!" I yelled. Something was wrong. I didn't think I had this… power. Something inside me just exploded. I was surrounded by a blue, flame-like aura. My voice changed. It was deep and demonic. "Mitsunari, I must thank you for this rebellion. I wouldn't have been awakened without my host's rage. HAHAHAHA! I should repay my master for his anger… I know what I must do, and you can help me. You can move on! That will be a great present. Your funeral will be his best day he has ever had!" I had no control over my body. I could only see what was happening. I was trapped in my own mind while someone else was controlling my actions. My fingernails became claws. My teeth grew to fangs. Before I knew it, Mitsunari was covered in his own blood, claw marks throughout his body and a giant hole in his stomach. I saw myself grab Hideyoshi and jump out of the 8-story window landing amazingly safely. Medics came over and took Hideyoshi. He was operated on his wound. I returned to normal. I could feel everything again, and had control… for a few seconds. I wearily said, "Hideyoshi, who helped you?" before falling to the ash-covered ground. I was picked up by the shirt and put on the back of a horse. My vision was blurring. From what I could make out, I was on the back of Red, I don't know but I think she took me to a hospital. I passed out before she stopped galloping…**


	2. New Life

_**Chapter II: New Life**_

**I woke up to a bright morning, on a soft bed… softest I've ever been on… looking at the white ceiling; I heard footsteps coming from outside the room door. I pretended to be asleep in hopes that they would think so and talk about why I'm here. They entered the room. Sounded like two women, nurses talking. One was talking about what I was doing here.**

"**He was on a horse that ran itself into the door." The other replied, "The horse was Red with white hair. He had blood wounds and was passed out. Our chakra doctors noticed an unusual amount of chakra emanating from his body. Like some kind of soul protecting him."**

"**Maybe he has THAT much control of his chakra, the dumb kid" The first one said. That tore it… I immediately rose up and yelled at her, **

"**I'M NOT A BRAT YOU STUPID BI- OWWW!" my wounds still hurt like hell. I hunched on the bed sitting up.**

"**Stop that kid, you are badly injured! My name is Tyra, and this is Tikal." The first nurse said. She was blonde and didn't look older than 17. I looked at the second nurse. Brunette, blue eyes and I'd say about 15. Too young to be nurses… something didn't make sense. With my good arm I pulled out a kunai and pointed it at them. "Relax dammit!" Tyra shouted.**

"**Then where am I?! Why are you two nurses?! You both are too young!" I shouted back.**

"**Shut up and I'll explain!" Tikal shouted at me furiously. She explained what had happened on their end of the story. How Red made a new doorway to get me in this hospital. She's always been a mother-figure to me. Tikal explained how Red wouldn't leave me. They needed 8 ninjas to bring her down. She is outside attempting to be freed from a chakra field by force. I heard her neighing outside.**

"**Let her go please. Allow her inside!" I beckoned to them. They said to give them a minute. I waited, keeping my ears focused down the hallway. I put down the kunai and it landed with a bang on the floor. With this I knew the floor was wooden. I heard gallops coming down the hallway (with multiple screaming people too). Red Hare came inside and buried her snout into my chest. I yelped in pain and happiness as I hugged her. "Red! I missed you so much!!" I told her, tears seeping out of my eyes. I felt tears leak on my arms. She was crying too. 5 minutes later Tikal entered the room with a clipboard in her arms smiling. Multiple people looked in through the door at this 'cute' sight. That part made me sick. Tikal handed me the clipboard. "What's this?" I asked.**

"**Write your information here. Your name, age, where you are from etc." Tikal replied while removing my bandages. I wrote down my name and my age. My profession, business, and all that stupid stuff I put N/A. Where I was from, Japan. But that question hit me so hard, another came out of it.**

**I outburst, "Where am I anyways?!" Tyra entered the room.**

"**The Village hidden in the Leaves" She said walking up to me. "One of five hidden villages. Actually six due to the sound ninja." Six villages of ninjas? This is cool. The perfect place to start my new life, The Village Hidden in the Leaves.**

**After my wounds healed, I worked toward getting a place to stay. I was hopping along trees when a newspaper flew into my face. Below me, Red hare was grazing and I ended up landing on her, we landed on the ground in a loud thump. I pulled the newspaper from my face and saw Hideyoshi's picture! He was killed!? Tokugawa's troops took over from where he left off. The article said that all my work was for nothing… I had a discouraged look. **

"**So, even through all that, what I did with YOUR body did nothing. Shame… I actually liked that leader." The deep voice! What the hell, who the hell was it?**

"**Who's there!? I know you were there during that night at the burning building!" I yelled.**

"**Ah but your body served me so well then… Caranomaru Kinoshita!"**

"**How do you know my name?! Who are you!?"**

"**I am the soul that kept you alive and protected. The soul of the 8-tailed Wolf. The demon who once was 9-tailed, like that annoying brother of mine. Damn him for ripping it off."**

"**Soul of the 8-tailed Wolf huh? Why did you inhabit my body that night?"**

"**Too many questions for one boy to have. I was with you before you even learned to use a weapon. That seal on your back, I made myself."**

"**The giant Wolf's Paw? That was you?! And who the hell is this brother you talked about?"**

"**Yes THAT symbol was MY doing and my brother, well, you may know him as The Nine Tailed Fox."**

**We conversed and I felt pretty good that he was on my side. Red was watching me the entire time, talking to myself. After we knew who our enemy was and who our allies were, Wolf and I worked on controlling each other's chakra and using it in battle. We created somewhat of a jutsu allowing Wolf control of a shadow clone of mine, only more like my demonic form. He looked like I was back when he ripped Mitsunari to shreds. I just hope that if we meet the Nine Tailed Fox's host, we don't immediately fight or cause trouble. **

**It was about 5 p.m. I am guessing when Red Hare and I went to go look for shelter. Lucky for me there was actually a house for sale. I had some revenue from when I separated from Hideyoshi's military. I used that and still had 2,000 yen to spare! That much money for a house and I still need to buy groceries! I felt tired from the training and so I set up a bed and just dozed off with Red landing in a giant thump next to me. She was tired as I was and just slept like a pony. As I fell asleep, I wondered what the future would hold for me in this new village. The Village Hidden in the Leaves… catchy!**


	3. The Lotus Flower

_Chapter III: The Lotus Flower_

I woke up in as the sun rose to go to the academy to apply even though I am sure I was over basic jutsu. Red Hare rode me over as I looked around the village. People looked at Red and I strangely, like they hadn't seen me at all… big surprise… By the time I was at the door, I met a guy in a white garment and red & white hat, he was rather old. As I entered the main door I ran into him by accident. I stepped back and looked at him.

"My bad sir, I should watch my step next time. I'm just aching to become a ninja for this village and I think that my skills are good enough to just become a regular ninja, not having to go through the boring academy." I said.

"No need to worry," the man said. "Lucky for you that you caught me, now let us see your skills shall we?"

"Wait, so you are going to evaluate me? Well I mean, you're just an old man, I expected a well-trained ninja to evaluate me…"

"'Just an old man' huh? Tell me something; are you new to The Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

"Yes sir. I moved in just yesterday." Red snorted and started grazing. "Ya may have heard of my horse, Red, in the news. She made that door and got me in the village hospital."

The man's eyes widened. "Ah! So you are that kid she was carrying. Well you are lucky to have such a steed. Now then let's get down to business, so you haven't been in the village long?"

"No sir. Why with all these questions? I need to find a ninja teacher to pass me through the Academy not just some old man."

"Oh really, even if the old man is The Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves?" My eyes widened and I stepped back.

"YOU'RE THE HOKAGE?!" I said surprised and flattered.

The man laughed. "Yes that describes me pretty well, and your name is?"

"Caranomaru Kinoshita sir, so you are going to evaluate me?"

"Yes Caranomaru. Now hurry up, I have errands to run. I just got done with some joker ninja, we needn't go into it and I am running late. Show me a transformation. Transform into… into your horse, Red." I looked at her and she looked at me with a look that said, 'you've got to be kidding me'.

"Okay! TRANSFORM!" *POOF!* I became a spitting image of Red. I couldn't believe I did it first try, I'd never transformed into an animal. *POOF* I returned to normal. "Next sir!"

"Very good job. Now give me a clone jutsu."

"I'll give ya something better! COPY CLONE JUTSU!" a puff of smoke came up next to the Hokage revealing what appeared to be another one of him. "I think that qualifies as a 'clone' jutsu."

"Amazing, I don't think we need to check your health record. But ninja squads have already been released."

"He can join our squad sir." An older woman said, walking up to us. She was wearing a Leaf Village Headband. She had velvety dark red hair and had a Squad Leader's uniform on. "My squad only has two Genin, Ryoki Nikanto and Amidasu Kisarikouyo."

"Yeah Hokage; Let me join her squad," I exclaimed, anxious as ever. "And by the way who are you?"

"Kuninobu Asuka, leader of the 9th squad and you are my new recruit. Follow me to your new squad."

"Okay ma'am goodbye Hokage!" I yelled as I jumped on Red galloping away, following Ms. Asuka who was jumping through the trees above.

As we were approaching a forested area, I stood up on Red's back as if surfing her. As we reached the edge I jumped on a branch Ms. Asuka had leap from. "See ya later Red!" I yelled jumping after the Jonin. After a minute or so, she stopped at a rooftop with two Genin sitting on a bench, one girl and one boy. I looked at them as if observing them like I would the stars in the old war camp. I missed looking for constellations.

"Attention, Ryoki and Amidasu! Meet your newest squad member." Kuninobu ordered. They both stood up and bowed in respect.

"My name's Amidasu Kisarikouyo." Amidasu said, "It's nice to meet you so long as you don't hold me back in missions." I ignored that comment… he's acting like I'm useless.

"My name is Ryoki Nikanto. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." The female Genin said. "I hope you ignore Amidasu's comment. He can be show-offy at times."

"Hey, fuck you Ryoki, it's for good reason. I'm the backbone and you are the medic. Without me, the strength goes a…"

"I SAID ATTENTION!" the Jonin interrupted "That means introductions then sit down!"

They both recited 'yes ma'am' and sat down silent. "Caranomaru, you may introduce yourself now."

I nodded and bowed to the two respectfully. "I'm Caranomaru Kinoshita. It's nice to meet you both. I'm sure we will be great allies and even better friends."

"Thank you very much, now sit down next to Ryoki, Caranomaru." Asuka Sensei ordered in a not so stern voice. I complied and sat next to her. She was so beautiful, the way her black hair shines in the sunlight, she had a blue symbol under her left eye, I'm guessing for some technique but, we'll see when we fight. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of ocean blue. Before I could observe anymore, Asuka Sensei was asking us what our nindo (ninja way) is. Amidasu said it was to never back down and always put up a fight. Ryoki's nindo was to be successful in helping the needy and the sick. It sounded like she wants to be a medical ninja. "So, what's your nindo Caranomaru?" sensei asked.

"My nindo?" I said faintly looking at the floor. Remembering what I fought for died off; I didn't really have a nindo. "I-I don't have the answer to it… my nindo died awhile ago, at Nagashino. To keep the peace was my nindo… chaos will always catch up and never allow peace in." They all looked at me with scared looks. I raised my head up smiling. "Well, I guess my nindo has to be reborn. I suppose my new nindo has to be to keep the peace as long as possible, and to hold chaos back until we have absolute peace. Yeah, that's my ninja way!"

"Okay thank you, now, tomorrow morning we will all meet at the training grotto, next to the river. See you all there" the sensei said before disappearing. Amidasu made a smartass comment, something about being paranoid about the past and left. Ryoki walked up to me and asked me what I've been through, curious as ever. I told her to sit down as I explained…

"So I found a house and I live with Red here now… I'm still saddened by Hideyoshi's death but I'll get over it in due time." I told her.

"That's so sad Noma…" she said

"Noma?"

"Yeah, my nickname for you. Like it?"

"It's kinda funny."

"Well most nicknames are right?"

"Sure are." She placed her head on my shoulder. "Huh?"

"Its getting late but I don't want to leave your side. It's so interesting how much you have been through." Ryoki raised her head and looked at me. "I have an idea! Why don't you spend the night at my house tonight! You could meet my family!"

"Well I don't know, can we stop by my place first? I want you to meet Red Hare."

"Sure, I'd love to meet her." So we walked together and stopped by my place, Red looked at her funny.

"Red don't worry this is one of my partners in my squad. Her name is Ryoki, she's nice and I told her about everything that's happened to us." I told her calmingly. She and Ryoki got on real well and started to get to know one-another while I got changed and got my gear ready. I also put out some hay for Red and left the gate open for her to run around while I was gone. After saying goodbye to Red, Ryoki and I set out to her house. We held hands the whole way. It was nice as we were also looking up and trying to find constellations in the sky. When we got to her home she got my bed ready as I explored. She read a note on her cabinet saying her parents are currently on a mercenary mission and will be gone for awhile. I looked around and noticed that she kept her room notoriously tidy. That was unexpected… I watched her while I lay in my bed. She was beautiful, like a lotus flower in bloom. "Hey Ryoki, what's that tattoo, the purple one on your right cheek?" I asked.

"Oh this? It's supposed to help my chakra control; I've not been the best with it." She said blushing.

"Why are you blushing?"

"It's kinda embarrassing."

"I don't think so, it makes you look cute I think."

"Huh? W-well thank you I guess…"

I smiled. "Hehe ur welcome, but blush anymore and your head will be a tomato!"

We laughed. She walked into her room; I was in the guest room, put on a pink evening gown with some pajama pants, checkered red and purple. She walked in when she thought I was asleep and kissed me on the cheek.

"Good night Noma-kun." She whispered. I tried to hold back a blush until she was out of the room. I looked at her as she closed the door behind her. Then, laid my head back down and fell asleep with last thoughts of what was going to happen in the morning…


End file.
